Killer sent to prison for life

The victim’s father says he will never forgive her husband, the killer.

WARREN — A man who killed his wife outside their Niles home was sentenced to life in prison with a chance for parole.

Daniel Leet, 30, of Difford Drive, withdrew his plea of insanity in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday to plead guilty to an aggravated-murder charge. He waived a trial by jury.

Judge Andrew Logan sentenced Leet to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The judge tacked on an additional three years for a weapon specification, bumping the sentence to 28 years.

On Nov. 24, 2007, Leet shot and killed his 29-year-old wife, Angela Leet, in the driveway of their Difford Drive home using a 12-gauge shotgun.

According to police, the Leets were arguing that Saturday evening. When they arrived home shortly after 10 p.m., Daniel shot Angela in their driveway, striking her once each in the back, neck and face.

A neighbor, hearing the shots, came to the home and restrained Leet until police arrived.

In the courtroom, amid the sounds of crying family members, Leet stood with his attorney, public defender David Rouzzo, to express a mixture of anger and regret for killing his wife.

“I’m still angry at her for the argument,” said Leet, “I didn’t mean for it to happen — I didn’t plan on this.”

Reaffirming his sorrow, Leet briefly turned his head to the side as he addressed Angela’s father, Joseph Court.

“I loved Angela — I still do, [and] If I could take it back, I would.”

Court approached the bench after that, holding back apparent grief to explain how Leet’s “rotten” actions have hurt their family. “I’ll never forgive you, never,” Court said. “You took the love of my life.”

Angela’s family paused momentarily while the judge ruled, weeping again after the sentence.

For the charge of handling a firearm as a felon, Leet received five years to be served concurrently with his sentence. In 1997 he was charged with aggravated arson for firebombing his girlfriend’s Niles home.

Leet lost the opportunity for a lesser sentence after John Fabian, a forensic and clinical psychologist, provided the court with an evaluation of Leet that declared he was competent to stand trial.

He has been held at the Trumbull County jail since the November slaying.